l not, of course, affect in any way our bargain. On this
point"--she spoke with a break of laughter--"I am as headstrong as an
allegory on the banks of the Nile."

"To quote an author to his face," lamented Mr. Sheridan, "is bribery as
gross as it is efficacious. I must unwillingly consent to your
exorbitant demands, for you are, as always, the irresistible Ogle."

Miss Ogle bowed her gratitude; and, declining Mr. Sheridan's escort,
for fear of arousing gossip by being seen upon the street with him at
this late hour, preferred to avoid any appearance of indecorum by
climbing down the kitchen roof.

When she had gone, Mr. Sheridan very gallantly attempted a set of
verses. But the Muse was not to be wooed to-night, and stayed
obstinately coy.

Mr. Sheridan reflected, rather forlornly, that he wrote nothing
nowadays. There was, of course, his great comedy, _Affectation_, his
masterpiece which he meant to finish at one time or another; yet, at
the bottom of his heart, he knew that he would never finish it. But,
then, deuce take posterity! for to have written the best comedy, the
best farce, and the best burlesque as well, that England had ever
known, was a very prodigal wiping-out of every obligation toward
posterity. Boys thought a deal about posterity, as he remembered; but
a sensible man would bear in mind that all this world's delicacies--its
merry diversions, its venison and old wines, its handsomely-bound books
and fiery-hearted jewels and sumptuous clothings, all its lovely things
that can be touched and handled, and more especially its ear-tickling
applause--were to be won, if ever, from one's contemporaries. And
people were generous toward social, rather than literary, talents for
the sensible reason that they derived more pleasure from an agreeable
companion at dinner than from having a rainy afternoon rendered
endurable by some book or another. So the parliamentarian sensibly
went to bed.

Miss Ogle during this Scottish trip was accompanied by her father, the
venerable Dean of Winchester. The Dean, although in all things worthy
of implicit confidence, was not next day informed of the intended
expedition, in deference to public opinion, which, as Miss Ogle pointed
out, regards a clergyman's participation in a technical felony with
disapproval.

Miss Ogle, therefore, radiant in a becoming gown of pink lute-string,
left Edinburgh the following morning under cover of a subterfuge, and
with Mr. Sh